MOJADER DIM ALOOR PUR BHORA PRATA

That made good dinner for us yesterday. After short outdoor walk, I was cooking all day which would not have been possible without Cristine. While I was on my walk, she had cut vegetables, boiled dal I was to take for an elderly being. I cooked them. The elderly host in that home treated me with variety of snacks which included "Kumror Dhoka Bhaja & Goan Gulgule".... in fact I informed that person it is Goan Gulgule some of my friends have blogged about. A warm hug made me feel good, I repeat, company of elderly beings make me feel good unless they keep talking about "rog, bhog, ashukh, bishukh".... that irritates me because my "funda" is kind of "ignore your pain, live your life till your last day".... People should have at least one area of interest, some do not have any.... on which topic we can talk for sometime. 

One cannot mingle with people who do not have any common interest, say cooking, reading, walking! I will be cooking hilsa curry tomorrow, mutton too.... carry them for someone next week.... that is another company I enjoy.... such meetings do not come with burden of discussing people, their homes or similar non-enrichment talks.... I look forward for them. As of today, let us share recipe of what we ate last night, something with heavenly combination of eggs, potatoes, non-vegetarian main MOJADER DIM ALOOR PUR BHORA PRATA served with sauces, plain yogurt! There are even salad sauces!

I am bit tensed today because after sharing these stuffed flat bread recipe with combination of whole wheat, refined flour, potato, eggs, I have to get on with an experimental sweet.... if I am successful, you get it on Bijoya Doshomi, else I have to think of something else before pujo sets in. I have a busy next week, have to colour my hair, get my nails pedicured, manicured, share few more recipes for my readers than I usually do in a week. I am too poor with time management. I am still a learner while doing stuffed breads but I find out easier ways for them because my family loves them. This stuffing does not require any cooking, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, coarsely ground fresh black pepper, some chopped coriander worked wonderfully. Potato & Egg mash Mixed Flour Breads MOJADER DIM ALOOR PUR BHORA PRATA will not look as good as Meryl Streep.... they look more like me but my kinds are useful in a household.... we are not that "a beautiful piece in showcase material".... but it is for our kinds husbands do not have to think beyond their office.... the only problem is we do not contribute to family's finances! See, this morning, leftovers from yesterday night was made into "kochuri".... Cristine arranged everything, I only fried them!

INGREDIENTS : [FOR STUFFING]

BOILED EGG : 4-5

BOILED POTATO : 2BIG

CHOPPED ONION : 2TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2-3TBSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

LEMON JUICE : 4-5TBSP

OIL : 1TBSP [I USED OLIVE OIL]

INGREDIENTS : [FOR FLAT BREAD DOUGH]

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR : 1 COFFE MUG

REFINED FLOUR : 11/2 COFFEE MUG

OIL : 2TBSP

SALT : 2-3PINCH

THE FINAL STAGE :

THE EGG POTATO MASH

THE FLOUR DOUGH

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER OR OIL : 1TSP FOR EACH STUFFED FLAT BREAD

PROCEDURE :

Let us prepare dough first. Take refined & whole wheat flours, oil, salt in wide mouthed bowl. Mix well. Add water [if possible warm] little by little, knead to get dough. It will be smooth, not soft. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

We will boil eggs, peeled, washed potatoes on stove top adding enough water!

Once done, we will switch off gas stove, let cool. Then, we would peel boiled potatoes, wash, take in bowl. Mash after adding salt, coarsely ground black pepper, pre-washed chopped onion, coriander leaves.

Add de-shelled, washed boiled eggs. To it, add lemon juice, lightly mix together with potato mash.

Tear portions from dough as required for flat breads, smoothen in between palms. Dust base, balls both with flour, roll out round bread shapes.

Fill in with boiled egg + potato mash.

Fold in, press tight edges to avoid spilling while frying. Dry roast in hot tawa / griddle. Cook both sides well.

Add 1tsp ghee to hot tawa / griddle. Cook both sides well. Hold each one with a tongs to cook all sides evenly.

Serve fresh, hot with choice of sauces, pickle, yogurt!

TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRAR ROSHA

Kankra / Crab is more of favourite to me than prawns, I find its flesh sweeter, juicier, tastier. Back in Kolkata it is seasonal, less priced than prawns. In this island city, we get freshest produce, in wide  variety of range, it is as pricy as prawns. The bigger its size, pricier it is. What I do is I buy medium sized, too small crabs do not taste good... where is flesh? For big ones, we go to sea side restaurants to have that particular, island famous "black pepper crab".... chilli crab seems to me bit sweeter, do not like use of cornflour in it. I enjoy crab with"mantou buns".... I love them, wish to kiss those palms who make it. At home, crab curries like this  non vegetarian seafood TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRER ROSHA always goes with steamed rice. 

Outdoor dining has lessened with time. When we were young, husband used to sail for months, we used to hunt Kolkata restaurants often whenever he was in town, we even had yum "missi roti" at Teej during the mourning period after his paternal grandmother's demise, such outgoing we used to be. I am forgetting name of the Japanese restaurant we used to hunt located between Lindsay Street and Park Street. We do not even know if they are still there or not, Amber used to serve good kebabs... have these old charms given way to new? Like, last December we found Magnolia too crowded, worn out, not worthy to spend some time. A bit of old world charm should stay for people like us. Just as our visiting friend last Saturday was telling they will be travelling to Spain during Diwali, he isn't willing to, he loves nature. I told him he will love Toledo if they are going there. They are avid travellers, was saying they loved Antarctica, there are some spots there where you may feel you are not in this world. I could connect to him because I love nature, absolutely do not like visiting cities! 

I loved Australia's country side, Amsterdam..... you do not need boost from senior Bacchan & Rekha Ganesan to romanticise with the place.... it itself provides you that..... few years back when he got a job offer there, I was all game for it.... the suburb neighbourhoods are etherial. I told him how beautiful it would be to open an "shoraikhana" [inn] there in countryside, I will cook, you will manage the accounts, we would have a help. His reaction was instant, "wife, those romantic classic reads have spoiled your system since school." I said "do not book stupid holidays for me "4nights, 5days package in starlit Hong Kong".... waste of money. Let us drive to a country side of our neighbouring country for a week. He retaliates, "do you tell your readers that picturesque villages have to have a resort with a personal sauna?" It's never like that, I want a tiled, squeaky clean toilet, there cannot be a single spot on bed spread, I would just puke.But in reality, this island has wrapped us with such comfort, it would be difficult for us anywhere else in this world.

Okay, we do bond over simple, Bengali style seafood curry TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRER ROSHA. The thing is son would not eat unless mumma gets rid of shells, serves him flesh alone. I find it difficult, what will he do in a different land.... would he take effort to learn cooking all by himself or destroy his system eating outside day and night.... that is my concern. His father left home at age 20, but he never had to think about cooking his own food, they had a moving pantry with surplus food. some of our friends' kids got self sufficient, mine cannot prepare a cup of tea..... but I still cannot think to prioritise my interest over my kid's.... in first place we should not have given birth then. 

Let's change topic! I was in good mood yesterday, ate sweets liberally, won't do this blunder everyday but couldn't resist having CARAMEL CUSTARD I made yesterday evening, updated pictures of particular blog post.

INGREDIENTS :

MEDIUM SIZED CRAB : 800GM-1KG [GET IT CUT & CLEANED FROM YOUR VENDOR]
POTATO : 1BIG
TOMATO : 1BIG
ONION : 1BIG
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP + 1/2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
FENUGREEK SEED : 1/4TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
LEMON JUICE : 1TBSP
OIL : 5-6TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I always buy crabs from those vendors who cut, clean for us, else it gets tough for Cristine, I cannot.

At home, we wash pieces thoroughly under running water, then soak them in hot water for an hour. I do this exercise because I am scared of seafood.... any wrong on our part can cause severe stomach ailments.

Actually this recipe is of our mother's. She used to cook prawns with it, I have a blog post about it.

Let's drain water after an hour, marinate crab pieces with salt, 1/2tsp turmeric. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Peel, wash potatoes. Cube them, marinate with 1/2tsp of turmeric little salt. Wash, chop tomatoes. Peel, wash, slice onions.

Prepare spice paste mixing 1/2tsp turmeric + 2tsp cumin powder + 1tsp coriander powder + 2tsp red chilli powder + little salt + 2tbsp water.

Heat oil in wok, fry potatoes until light brown. Take out. Now fry crab pieces discarding marinade. 

Temper oil with fenugreek seeds, bay leaf, once it gives out an aroma, add sliced onions. Fry them until brown, then add spice mixture. Stir fry at low heat for 2 minutes. Now add 11/2 coffee mugs of water.

Bring gravy to boil. Add fried potatoes, simmer at low for a minute or two. Add fried crab pieces, some slitted green chillies [I forgot].

Let it simmer at lowest heat, covered for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice, we are done.

We also had "borboti, aloo, kanchakolar jhol", "kalojeerey, tezpata, shukno lanka phoron mushurir dal", basic salad on the day to go with steamed rice.

DOI CURRY PATA MURGI

I have already blogged about the rice main dish MIXED NUT AND DRIED VEGETABLE TOMATO RICE. With it I served this chicken curry, DOI CURRY PATA MURGI. For some reason or other, blogging about this yummy non vegetarian meat side did not happen or was I waiting for eve of Durga Puja? Whatever, we do not eat "ghaspus" during our biggest festival. I told you several times my parental home is kind of peculiar who have vegetarian food all three main days of the Durga Puja, do "jatra with puti maach" on Dashomi morning, then gets home fish. Us siblings rebelled, ate non-vegetarian food outside of home, at maternal grandparent's home as long as we spent our entire puja vacation there. I have seen best "Rajbari & Bonedi Barir Pujo" in my life. 

Nostalgia takes me down memory lane all the time. Our friend from Mumbai who visited us last night was telling whenever you feel low, just think how wonderful it is to live, to be able to breathe till date. He told there is nothing called meditation as such, it is just spending some time each day with one's self in silence, then one day you reach a point where you can set your life free. I was enjoying his talks. He and my husband are childhood buddies, eventually his wife too became such dear in her own right. All three of them differ on their take on life but they bond over certain things. Where do I stand in between them? I keep learning, taking ideas from better people. Because I lack patience, I fail to apply them in real life scenario. None of us siblings are go getters. I had many dreams surrounding him, he took no initiative to fulfil them. A class would have only one topper, the rest have to sweat to get the coveted bejewelled chair, no point standing at one place, stagnate. When you feel "I am happy with where I am, I need not work anymore to be better," you are dead actually. Hope son gives me good reason to live, hope immensely hard working husband get some rest soon.... though I do not wish to go and stay in Kolkata any sooner... I wish to praise it from at far.

I am not really keen about going on and on today as I usually do. I am still soaking in "adda-shadda" fervour of yesterday, the friend's pranks on my husband is what lifts up my spirits, I join in and ask him how to extract the "mejaj" / temper from my husband's body, I ask every wise person about it. I think my father-in-law roams around with the same question, but I lack his wisdom, patience, that "I keep my entire being at your feet my loving spouse" kind of attitude. I ignore his temper in him that is by inheritance, live my life my way, God after all has given me a genuine being to live with who also have accepted me with all my flaws. 

This particular friend keeps telling me "the person is genuine." I am like "tui chartey iyarki-moja korey beriye jabi, ami to shara jibon dhorey jhelchi".... it's tough man, admit it. So, I went to sleep around 12:15 am earlier today not because I was feeling sleepy, then why? If I do not take leave, how will they start with their kind of discussions.... we must respect relationships, their individual spaces..... "who means how much to whom?" To understand this is important. Like which event is more important to a hardcore Bengali like me at this moment? The answer is one shot.... Durga Puja! Durga Puja equals good food, for Bengalis festive food cannot be vegetarian. 

Anyway, if you want to avoid outside food during festive season just for hygiene concerns, you can prepare this wholesome meal platter  with DOI CURRY PATA MURGI & MIXED NUT AND DRIED VEGETABLE TOMATO RICE, a salad on side completes it. You can see I have used less amount of ingredients while cooking this chicken curry with only 2-3 tbsp of oil. What is more important to me while cooking chicken or mutton is marinating the meat for quite sometime, then slow cooking it over a longer period.

INGREDIENTS : 

CHICKEN : 1KG [MEDIUM CUT]
CURRY LEAF : 20-25, A HANDFUL OF
PLAIN YOGURT : 1SMALL SIZED TEA CUP
ONION : 1BIG
GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
GINGER PASTE : 1TSP
GARLIC PASTE : 11/2TBSP
GARAM MASALA : 1TSP
LEMON JUICE : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1TSP [FRESH & COARSELY GROUND
OIL : 2-3TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash chicken thoroughly, drain water. Marinate with little salt, 2tbsp of lemon juice for 1/2 an hour.

In grinder, add washed curry leaves, green chillies.

Blend it to smooth paste. Remove cover, add onion pieces that we get from peeling, washing, cutting large onion. I also added ginger + garlic paste I prepared earlier.

Blend it to a paste, pour it over chicken.

Add beaten yogurt, oil, crushed black pepper, garam masala powder. Mix well. Marinate for 45 minutes to 1/2 an hour.

Heat wok, add chicken along with marinade.

Cover cook at minimal heat checking in between. Below are different stages of cooking it.

Once it has dried, we will add a coffee mug of warm water. Let it boil uncovered for 5-6 minutes at low heat. 

It takes 35-40 minutes of cooking before we are done. Serve hot with any variety of rice, for my kinds steamed rice is best paired with it.

SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA

This was on my mind for quite sometime now, I am really into planning healthier meals for myself and the family without compromising with our taste buds. Yesterday afternoon, I felt let us do it. It went through some trial and error and finally landed into this. I / we love malpua, the son would love if it is not too brown. The son enjoys soft, fairer malpuas with brown edges. I was wanting a malpua like something without letting in gallons of oil or ghee. I again got home a soyabean oil yesterday. Cristine says, "ma'am... olive oil, ghee & mustard oil" combination is not workable at this home.... we need to get a canola or sunflower or a blend every month, limit olive oil to salad dressings, mustard oil to pure Bengali cooking and ghee exclusively for "luchi, porota and rokomari mishti o pithe." I complied to that and this sugar free, gluten free, vegan pitha [pithe is steamed or fried savoury or sweet dumplings and cakes] happened that too each in few drops of oil. May be few days of practice would have got me and you a perfectly round shape of these snacks but they tasted so perfect that I had to share the recipe with you, the other day I read how diabetes is creeping into our homes at an alarming rate. 

I will not call this power breakfast with Barnyard Millet & Banana SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA a pancake. The word pancake smells so "egg-y" to me. When new to this island, I did get readymade pancake mix home but then the husband and the son refused to have heavy breakfasts before going out. The man used to love Swiss Alpen, that too I stopped getting because I hate to waste. Only a packet of cornflakes comes monthly for our boy. I do not think cornflakes have anything good to do in an Indian body, it is processed after all.... but the son enjoys it back from the school on certain days. I love muesli without adding milk but with plain yogurt, oh no! my sugar level reaches new heights if I have it. Hence, I need umpteen meal ideas less in sugar for me and my family.

Take a look at the pictures. I have packed their lunch boxes with an egg fried rice I had prepared because Cristine tends to add excess of the soy sauce. On the days when they take sandwiches and pasta, I take leave from preparing for their lunch boxes as Cristine makes them pretty well. What went to the snack boxes you can see; self made gluten free, sugar free "pithas"..... samo rice / Barnyard Millet power snacks SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA and fruits of their / our choice pears and grapes.

What I prepare for them has to come to my plate if only I enjoy it. I really enjoyed the "pitha" with coffee and you know that egg fried rice is a regular at this home.... if for dinner then roasted chicken or a baked fish goes with it. The senior's cuppa will never have anything with it. He says a good cup of tea should never have anything with it.... milk, sugar, biscuits, cake... nothing but only the flavour. The tea connoisseur that he is, he wants yet more good quality and variety of them but I stick to Twinings, else I cannot buy that tiny pair of gold "jhumka" I had been eyeing at which he never pays for. The fight continues "boss dena, tor cheler bou er jonyoi to shob, ami kodin aar porbo"..... He to me, "khali dhop, amar cheler bou oshob porbeo na, gold is bad investment." Me to him... "shon shey to shoshurer shamney half pant porey ghurey byarabey, beshi jabona bujhli... bechey thakley oshob dekhteo hobey, meney niteyo hobey.... sareegulo amar kothai jabey ki jani.... jodi Bangali ranna khete dakey kokhono taholey jabo.... chingri diye je sudhu malaikari noy, laupatai moshola aar chingri mekhe, tarpor murey tawai ghonta khanek epith opith korley darun lagey eta ami morley o janbeyo na." 

Come on, I will be a nice maa-in-law too, good enough to admit to her "shono meye, app byaparta ami akhono bujhina.... tomra dujon ki sundor alochona koro..... tomar buro, pyangla, har bojjat shoshur moshai amai meney niyechilo, shob chelera mantey parey na"..... I often indulge into such conversations sitting alone, as some of my friends say that my husband will prove to be a wonderful, indulgent paa-in-law. I totally believe it because I have witnessed my own father's behaviour towards his wife and that towards his daughter-in-law. Perhaps so he died a king. 

I sincerely hope our son's wife would suit herself with the world and will not lag behind like me. Somedays, she may wish to take a look at my blog, say no to store bought pancake mix and prepare this perfectly healthy, gluten free, vegan pitha for "her family." When she wishes for a "maacher jhol, mochar ghonto or even kola patai mora steamed murgir kima", she definitely can invite me.... I will not shy away from asking her.... "app maney ki, balance sheet ki korey banai? mathai dhokena boley chakri korai holona. Shobai ki kobider moto nijer iccher dash hotey parey? naki amar hariye jaoa shei bondhur moto colleger shiritey boshey boltey parey "shon Soma, chakri ami korbona, amar onnyo swapno. To bujhley bouma, ooi shopnalu, dagor chokher bondhur barir letter box e karor ekta prempotro feley eshechilam.... jiboneyo bolbo na patriti ke, manusher bhabke shanman kortey shikhbey bujhecho?" 

In fulfilling your dreams, you may have to bypass and shelve many a things.... certain principles, beliefs, faith, dear people.... no problem, one should not stop them standing midway.... I wonder if someone has remembered his beloved "DSOr didir" address or not, why some  are still scared of my very shadow .... but it is okay man, each one has the right to shape one's life, just as I do not allow anyone to come in between me, my couch, my day dreaming sitting there or at long walks. As long as the writer and singer community have something for me to live, I get through every damn odd feelings.... "monkharap, golai kachtai kichu atkey achey? no problem... money money Shantiniketan choley jao.... onar paaye lutiye poro, bolo apni bolechilen ami harbo na kichutei, else switch on to KennyG"..... they do not know each other but they have similar effect on me..... peace and only peace they have to offer. Readers do you know I am a "dukkhobilashi" since birth?... Do not take me seriously.... follow my blog, cook & eat my recipes, they are good.

Photo Updated on 21.02.2024

INGREDIENTS :

COOKED BARNYARD MILLET / SHAMA CHAL / SAMO RICE : 1 COFFEE MUG

BANANA : 3-4 SMALL SIZED OR 2 STANDARD SIZED

STEVIA POWDER : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP [YOU CAN USE SUGAR OF THE SAME AMOUNT]

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPERCORN : 1/2 TSP

FENNEL SEED : 1TSP

RICE FLOUR : 2 TBSP

OIL : 2-3 DROPS FOR EACH + 1TBSP FOR THE BATTER

USE A BIT OF WATER IN THE BATTER IF ONLY REQUIRED

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the barnyard millets in enough water, then cook for 10 minutes. Let cool and prepare a paste of them.

Wash peel and mash the bananas. Beat together the pasted same rice, rice-flour, cornflour, mashed bananas, stevia or sugar, fennel seeds, crushed black peppercorns, 1tbsp of oil. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

Place a wok on the gas stove, add the mixture and keep stirring continuously for 10-12 minutes, until it reaches a halwa like consistency. Take down and let it cool.

Heat a tawa / pan / griddle on the gas stove. Grease you palms with a little of oil & prepare pancake shapes from the mixture, brush the pan with just a drop or two of oil and place the cake. Cook both the sides well, covered at the minimal heat until the tops are slightly crisp.

Try to enjoy them fresh & hot with your favourite beverages.

DATA ALOO CHINGRIR JHOL

This kind of meals make me happy these days. "ekta shaak, ekta dal, patla korey maach er jhol"..... The mutton variety we get here needs to be cooked with lot of spices to over power strong smell while Kolkata variety requires only "ada-lanka-roshun bata" on a normal day .... Yesterday, all day I was cooking Bengali, vegetarian dishes to take for friend's family, visiting parent.... a total of seven dishes including fish curry. I would share them with my readers sometime tomorrow hopefully. It was a tiring day though Cristine is always by my side, end of day I was happy, not irritated. If you have studied my nature, I do not stress myself to please anyone, I only do it to that extent until when I can do it happily. To stress myself in kitchen is a big no for me. 

The husband could not make it to office yesterday for obvious reasons, I was just chit chatting with him while cooking. He is not the kind who would enquire what I am doing inside kitchen all day, who I am cooking for.... Because I have not seen our father to intervene ever in household matters except for his sole decision to spend his retired life far from city, I am at peace. After marriage, when I learnt to cook, tried my hands on Biryani occasionally when husband was in town, the father-in-law was concerned about gas consumption. It is obvious Biryani making is time consuming, gas cylinders are precious in India. It used to cause me irritation because I have never seen all these in our home. However, it was husband's father who I would ask for help for any odd job. One cannot get the best of both worlds. 

A couple's life is all about commitments, adjustments, I strongly feel it's about respecting each other's personal spaces too. Else relationships are nothing but unnecessary burdens. Anyway, I have to wrap up quick today as I would be visiting a friend's home for a lunch session. I look forward to such meets if only associates interest me..... I am particular about my likes, dislikes.... my kinds should live an isolated life to avoid hurting people, displeasing own self. If I am going to meet a friend's surviving parent, today is best day to share one family recipe from my side of the family with prawns, overgrown / matured Amaranth stems [data], potato, a non vegetarian, Bengali seafood dish DATA ALOO DIYE CHINGRIR JHOL.

I really do not know if this prawn curry recipe has travelled all the way from Comilla to Kolkata or not, I am having it since childhood. This is exactly copied recipe of what our mother cooked. I prefer it over "chingrir malaikari" any day. I know today at my friend's home there would be a high end spread, even few years back the thought used to delight me but these days I look for a "shukto, bhajabhuji, dal, loter jhuri"..... Oh! My God!I am totally under the family veterans' spell. 

I could connect when my friend's parent told me last week about some personal preferences.... I tried to cook keeping that in mind. These are little gestures you must show people when they make an effort to touch your soul with kind words. Taking care of the elderly generation should be kind of sacred duty. Had I have been settled in Kolkata now, the sickly in-laws would not have required a cook, I would have send meals through my chauffeur, wouldn't have stayed together. I would prefer to stay in same neighbourhood, not together, I cannot take instructions. 

I will not wait each moment of my life for death like my in-laws, I will die romantic doing everything I love doing.... spending enough time with my half soul "Neelohit" ...... it may so happen that at edge of brook in the wood, I may bid a goodbye to him trespassing to an unknown world where they say resides absolute peace.... my chosen number is 75.... the rest is Almighty's wish. Before that, I wish to discharge all my sacred duty towards my friend, my guide I am living with, say sorry with a hug if I have done any wrong to him. "Neelohit" is a cult figure to me, invisible who can only be felt without whom I cannot survive I knew since my teens... "Sunil Babu" knew that, you must know too.

I adore this particular parent of my friend.... full of life, positivity.... stays alone in Kolkata, always wears a smile.... love it. I am eager for a chat session, pretty busy in morning you can see. I do not know if I can avail a free ride in Ipsita's car.... I do not like to make people wait for me. The kind I am, I would take an MRT ride to the nearest station, take cab from there and may reach before Ipsita, this girl, my husband takes unnecessary hassles.... this island hardly requires a personal car. 

Anyway, my father-in-law, my brother[s] has / have to have his / their meals with "shaak bhaja, pepe diye dal" today, let others try this light sea food curry DATA ALOO DIYE CHINGRIR JHOL with steamed rice. Earlier the father-in-law used to eat the curry sans the prawns, now totally barred given his allergic self.... even to most of medicines. My side of family has many recipes with prawns.... it feels like bhai would say "amai feley tora chingri khacchish".... the in-laws hardly have any interest in food or about anything. This is not called living.

INGREDIENTS :

STANDARD SIZED PRAWN : 500-600GM
POTATO : 1BIG SIZE
MATURED AMARANTH STEM / DATA : 4-5 LONG YARD? / STICK
GINGER PASTE : 1TBSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 11/2TBSP [IF FRESHLY MADE PASTE, THEN 2TSP]
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
FENUGREEK SEED : 2PINCH
CORIANDER SEED : 2PINCH
WILD CELERY SEED : A PINCH
SALT : AS REQUIRED
KAFFIR LIME LEAF : 2-3 [OPTIONAL]
OIL : 4-5TBSP [I USE MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

When our mother was here few months back, I got surprisingly fresh maturely grown  Amaranth Stems in local market. 

I strongly felt I must grab it, with it some fresh prawns. In presence of our mother let me refurbish my memory about this particular prawn recipe I used to love. I did, Cristine cleaned them all. With the leaves I prepared "shaak bhaja" ..

De shell, clean prawns well, wash thoroughly. It is always suggested to clean, keep head & tail portion of prawns for an enhanced flavour, taste unless you have a kid as mine.

Add little salt, turmeric to it, keep aside. Peel wash, halve potatoes. Cut each half into three equal pieces. Add little salt, turmeric to it. Discard root ends of amaranth stems, cut into finger length sizes. Carefully peel off fibre from its skin.... thinly... do not do away with flesh. Wash, rub little salt [it absorbs salt quickly, be careful].

Heat oil in wok. Lightly fry potato pieces in batches, take out. Fry data / amaranth stem pieces, take out. Fry prawns too in batches, take out. In all three cases you will discard marinade before frying.

Temper oil with coriander + wild celery + fenugreek seeds. Prepare spice paste with rest of turmeric + red chilli powder + coriander powder + ginger paste adding little water. Add it to wok. Never let tempering to burn.

Keep stirring spice paste at low heat for 2 minutes. Lower heat to minimal, add 11/2 coffee mugs of water. Bring it to boil keeping heat to minimal.

Now add lightly fried potato pieces, simmer at lowest heat for 2-3 minutes. Add lightly fried prawns, amaranth stems, kaffir lime leaves if at all using, boil for another 2-3 minutes. We are done.

We enjoy it with nothing else but steamed rice.

EGG FREE PANDAN CAKE

This was long due. I felt let me do it before Bengal dives totally into "Durga Pujo" fervour. I had four cakes in hand, felt let me stay strong with our loving island, it's neighbours today. I try to keep Bengal connection in most of my posts. Nonetheless to say, Pandan leaves / Fragrant Screwpines are called "payesh pata" there in West Bengal, if I am not too wrong. They are used to be packed in rice grain sacks to enhance flavour of a poor quality rice there. Yes, food adulteration is an issue there. I think Pandan Leaves is not considered important there like here. When we shifted to Barrackpore, our garden had a couple of this plant until lady of house uprooted, planted her series of flowering plants, "patabahars." 

Who would tell her Almighty's less fortunate children too need toilet areas to excrete. Even our pomerarian Jenny was strictly told to excrete ii terrace, finish off with her day's "hagoo+hishu" by 2pm.... on days of exception, mani had to take shower even at 9-10pm after cleaning job. My job was to shampoo her, get her good showers two- three days a week. The cleanliness freak us got her cough, cold quite often. It is our ignorance about pet life, care that took away her life early. Thereafter, we did not get one, its lot of emotional drain.... mani performed all rituals we do for a dead family member including eleven days of penance. The father took her body wrapped in "dhoti", "tulsi pata" to holy Ganges with assistance from my husband. The half and full atheists complied to our mother's wish. The brother was not in his senses for quite sometime, I was because I had an eleven month old on lap to look after. When I see pets around, Jenny's beautiful eyes come alive. 

Love has many manifestations, who are you, I  to make it rule bound? Set it free, only then it is real.... else it is only in "khatai kolomey", in "Facebook status".. Love is not mathematical Calculus Theory that you limit it to society set formulae. Come, set your minds free, have this vegetarian, sugar free  EGG FREE PANDAN CAKE using fragrant screwpine extract.

The senior is back home, went office. I anticipated this would happen, asked Cristine to prepare multigrain atta flour dough. You remember we had Aloor Dum in hand? The reason why I cook and keep food stuffed in the refrigerator. The son is at home today, breakfast of mine is proof why living room is dark in morning. Cristine does my "pooris" while I do it for men, Cristine too though not always. You know South Asian women lack ability to consider themselves as individual, to do something to please their own selves. It is pleasure to fry "pooris" for my men.... but I have to have freedom to think in my terms, live my own life. When the mother-in-law tried to impose her laws on me, I made it clear that its my life.... your friends, your relatives, your set of rules cannot define my life..... I will live my life my way, I will have my own set of friends, acquaintances who may not necessarily be in your list. You lived your life in your own terms, let me. She is nice otherwise. The thankful wife did fry them happily within few minutes of notice after failed plea he needs some rest. He is flying since last evening coming via Delhi.

Anyway, I do not mind if he visits his parents often which is his sacred duty, provided I am given to live life my way without any set rules. I I had to be economically independent to be in firmer position. 

The question is  are all working girls "independent?"..... Can they think beyond set rules? When did they last think about their own selves? Do not tell me you never wished to be humming butterfly flying beyond set boundary. Leave it, my fresh batch of "shona monger dal" has arrived, courtesy sister like brother's wife who got it from mani's prescribed shop, handed over to "T" dada. Then, if you have a brother travelling to Delhi in same day evening, he would definitely make it a point to meet his brother like "T" dada, send "didibhai" selfies of duo, even pictures of his bed, rest room where he will stay put & pee for next few days. When anyone travels, I cannot sleep well. I need good swim after this post, sleep until 6:30pm.... or should I go for long walk with my headphones on playing old Bollywood numbers?.... Where they take me is none of your business.... but the thing is if mumma has fried Babai's multigrain "atta pooris," she would want to fry them for him too instead of Cristine didi before settling out for long walk in an unstipulated path than normally prescribed humming"Chandni Raat Mein Ekbar Tujhe Dekha Hai". Thats a promise we must make .... to give our best for our own before spreading our wings for some me time with unknown. I think I should not care for my lunch time, set out for Punggol seaside, must do 10k, its about 2 years now I did not go for running event, must sign up for big December event.... the daddy is getting angry. My baby may be weird but two days back when all of a sudden I decided to record live procedure of cleaning a "pabda maach" .... he silently switched off television and retired to his room without any request from us. Mumma should not go out for her own pleasure without settling his lunch spread. Yesterday, it was only a 5:6km walk to old neighbourhood, thereafter a sweet plum+lime juice spoilt effort. Today, I need to be careful.

You can see I have used bottled pandan extract, few other ingredients for my vegetarian, fragrant screwpine flavoured EGG FREE PANDAN CAKE, beyond that is not in my capacity which I admit. It was done in month of June when my visiting family was here, all of us liked it though it was dense, moist in texture unlike fluffy ones we get island wide. Because it was decent, I decided to share recipe with all of you. Finally I could write my post. From that dark, noisy living room, I shifted to guest room with my morning cuppa, we need to concentrate on whatever we are doing.

This happens when our monkey is at home! Its easy to handle girl child I think.

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 2COFFEE MUG

BAKING POWDER : 1TBSP

BAKING SODA : 11/2TSP

PANDAN EXTRACT : 2TSP

FULL CREAM MILK : 2MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP

STEVIA POWDER : 1MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP [YOU CAN USE SAME AMOUNT OF SUGAR]

VANILLA ESSENCE : 1TSP

OIL : 1 SMALL SIZED TEA CUP [CANOLA or SUNFLOWER or SOYBEAN any variety I use]

PROCEDURE :

Besides refined flour, I have used these few ingredients for pandan cake.

Take refined flour, baking powder, baking soda together, sieve & mix well. 

Take milk, oil, stevia powder or sugar, pandan / screw pine extract in clean blender. Blend it for 2 minutes at intervals.

Add wet mix to flour mix, beat with whisk or spoon for sometime. I do it clockwise, cut through middle.

We will do this for 4-5 minutes before we add vanilla essence. We will beat again for 2-3 minutes, pour into greased cake tins or aluminium foiled containers.

I do my bakes in convection mode microwave. I placed bake stand inside, preheated it at 180*C for 10 minutes.

Thereafter I placed one container filled with pandan leaf / fragrant screw pine cake batter on top of low stool.

I baked for 30-35 minutes at 180*C. Temperature of each oven differs, you must check temperature, cook time of yours' through a series of trial, error.